Guy Ritchie ‘sued by writer Mickey De Hara who claims movie The Gentleman copies scenes from his rejected script’
Guy Ritchie is reportedly being sued over his film The Gentleman after actor and writer Mickey De Hara claimed it reproduced sections of a script previously submitted to the film director.
The Gentleman tells the story of cannabis mogul Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who attempts to sell off his profitable marijuana empire as he settles into his retirement.
In a lawsuit filed at the London High Court last month, seen by Variety, Mickey claims Guy, 54, commissioned him to write a sequel to his 2008 gangster flick RockNRolla based on his ‘personal life experiences’, with the writer previously convicted of possession of cocaine and cannabis with ‘intent to supply’ for which he faced a spell in prison.
However, it is claimed Mickey was told by Guy ‘the time of the gangster movie was over’ after he submitted the script which told the story of a man who ran a marijuana business in 2018, with the project not being developed.
Two years later The Gentleman was released and Mickey claims the movie was a ‘substantial’ rework of his script.
Woes: Guy Ritchie is reportedly being sued over his film The Gentleman after writer Mickey De Hara claimed it reproduced sections of a script previously submitted to the film director (Guy pictured in December)
Legal action: In a lawsuit filed at the London High Court last month, seen by Variety , Mickey claims Guy commissioned him to write a sequel to his 2008 gangster flick RockNRolla
The lawsuit claims The Gentleman copies Mickey’s cast and characters, and ‘unique aspects of the plot’.
Mickey claims his script featured a character called The Coach who led a group of tearaways called The Baby Squad, while in The Gentleman the character of Coach (Colin Farrell) leads a gang of fighters called The Toddlers.
According to Variety, Mickey sent a text message to Guy after The Gentleman’s release highlighting how similar the film was to his script.
Guy replied: ‘Mickey, I and my people have tried to contact you for some years now.
‘There was no response. I am happy for us to sit down and have a chat.’
Mickey insists there was no contact made before The Gentleman was released.
It is claimed Guy turned down Mickey’s request for a writer’s credit on The Gentleman but offered him on a credit for a later film that he was not a part of.
According to the lawsuit, Guy wrote in a text: ‘I have a feeling that might be too late Mickey.
Storyline: The likes of Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and Colin Farrell appear, with the plot following the story of a drug lord (Matthew pictured in film with co-star Michelle Dockery)
Similar? Mickey claims his script featured a character called The Coach who led a group of tearaways called The Baby Squad, while The Gentleman’s Coach led fighter gang The Toddlers (Colin Farrell pictured as Coach in The Gentleman)
‘I’ll try, but what I can do is get you a credit on something in the future. Let me see what I can do. Honestly, we did try to get hold of you.’
Mickey states he ‘has no intention of seeking credit for original work that was not created by him’.
He is seeking £201,000 and ‘credit for his original work that has been used in The Gentleman without his consent and without payment of the agreed remuneration.’
MailOnline has contacted a representative for Guy for comment.
